UK National Association for Environmental EducationSupporting education for sustainable development

February 5 to 9 News round up

February 5 to 9 News round up

The British Science Association says that following British Science Week’s virtual race, Run the Solar System, it is announcing a new race for 2018: Run to the Deep. Produced in partnership with Six to Start, Run to the Deep will be an immersive running app which chronicles a journey from the sea surface to the Marianas Trench – the deepest know part of the ocean – as you run over a 10k distance.

It goes live during British Science Week (9-18 March) but you can sign up now to get all the latest updates. You can sign up here.

The Woodland Trust’s latest edition of its in-house journal, Wood Wise, has a focus on how we can educate and inspire the environmental guardians and conservationists of the future. Teachers and other practitioners share their approaches to integrating nature with education. The contents are:

The Manchester Environmental Education Network’s Spring Newsletter includes important information about how schools can contribute to this month’s Manchester Green Summit. It also contains details about the next Green Teach Meet for Eco Coordinators, has information about P4C training, an opportunity for free International Schools support, and updates on MEEN activities.

Global skills for a global society? is the title of the DERC seminar by Prof Doug Bourn at the London International Development Centre, 36 Gordon Square, Camden Town, London WC1H 0PD. It runs from 1700 to 1830 on March 6th. DERC says:

The term ‘global skills’ is being used by bodies such as the British Council, leading multinational companies and some elite universities in their recruitment strategies. This Development Education Research Centre (DERC) seminar will review some of these debates and look at examples from a number of professions, notably education, health and engineering. By identifying a potential framework for global skills that can equip learners to not only secure meaningful employment in the global economy, but be active global citizens in the fragile and unequal world we live in today is vital.

These include powerpoint presentations and activity sheets to use in the classroom.

A LEEF Pond Dipping Clinic will take place on Tuesday 1st May at the Holland Park Ecology Centre – 3:00pm to 4:30pm & 4.30pm to 6.00pm. This is a chance to brush up pond invertebrate knowledge and identification skills. The sessions will be led by a member of the Holland Park Ecology team.

Garden Organic says that there’s still time for schools (or anyone else) to join the Heritage Seed Library before the 23rd February deadline. You can pick six varieties of seeds from the new 2018 seed list.

Greening Grey Britain is a collaboration between the RHS and the University of Sheffield. The RHS says:

Green space makes us feel better, fact. As a society, we’re increasingly becoming aware of the impact that nature and green spaces have on our physical and mental well-being – you only have to look at the popularity of nature play groups or the success of the RHS Campaign for School Gardening to see that there is a huge appetite for all kinds of interaction with plants and the natural world, and we see it as an important part of our children’s education.

To get involved, simply start transforming a grey space in your community or at home with plants. It could be your own front garden, an empty concrete corner, an ugly alleyway or a boring stretch of tarmac that would benefit from new planting. Or it could be a green space that you improve for wildlife by adding more nectar and pollen-rich plants. We have plenty of ideas to inspire you. Start Greening Grey Britain now!

The BBC has reported that the new PISA tests assessing global competences will not be taken in England. The DfE is joining the United States, Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland and Ireland in deciding not to take the global competence aspect of the test, although they will take the other core academic subject tests. Schools in Scotland, Australia and Canada are among those that will take the test, which is being launched this year. The BBC added:

“The concept of global competence was intended to test how well young people were prepared to work alongside people from different cultures and with different beliefs. The test will measure tolerance, cultural awareness and how well teenagers can distinguish between reliable sources of information and fake news. It will consider issues such as racism, cultural identity and prejudice. Andreas Schleicher, the OECD’s education director, said the success of education systems had to be measured on more than exam results.”

“We aim to put people at the heart of our work by designing an inclusive, resilient and sustainable road network; appreciated for its usefulness but also its elegance, reflecting in its design the beauty of the natural, built and historic environment through which it passes, and enhancing it where possible.”

A review of Darwin Comes to Town: How the Urban Jungle Drives Evolution by Menno Schilthuizen in the Sunday Times says that the mosquitoes in London’s Tube lines offer an extraordinary snapshot of evolution in action.

“They are very different from those above ground, feeding on humans instead of birds and adopting distinct habits. Those in the Central, Victoria and Bakerloo lines are also genetically different from one another, living as they do in nearly separate worlds. The only way for them to become mixed, says the geneticist studying them, would be “for all of them to change trains at Oxford Circus”.

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